The Perth Urban Rail Development Project

The last 15 years has been a golden era for urban rail in Perth. But it could have been different. By 1987, daily patronage was only 30,000. The system was falling apart. Then came electrification of the old network and in June 1993, full services commenced on the 29.5 kilometre new Northern Suburbs Transit System. In May 2002, the Government awarded a $300 million contract for the supply of 93 railcars and associated maintenance facilities. In August 2002 the State Government gave final approval for an integrated rapid transit system to serve the rapidly expanding south-west metropolitan corridor, based on 71.5 kilometres of new railway, including a major underground section through Perth. In 2001 patronage had risen to just over 101,000 and in 2006 it is predicted to be 170,500. These new rapid transit systems are designed from the outset to compete with private car trips. Whilst describing the details of the current Perth Urban Rail Development (PURD) Project this paper is foremost about an engineering system response to the land use and settlement pattern of Perth, Western Australia.